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Category Archives: Finance & Investment

Lately, gold as an investment has become a hot commodity. The ever-rising prices of gold have turned them into the best investment option. Though one can put the money in this expensive metal without any type of fear but still one must have some knowledge about this precious yellow metal.

There are concerns amongst investors when buying gold, just as there are concerns when putting money into any investment asset. However, many of these have benefits. When prices of the metal rise when the dollar goes down. These two have the inverse relationship between them. The weaker dollar or the unstable stock market makes it more expensive. So, most of the people like to invest in gold instead of the other sources. The stock market doesnt remain stable all the time and also makes for the unsecured investment. On the other hand, the expensive metals procure their value and mostly provide the good returns.

Gold is also liquidity and ease to sell. Buy gold coins to increase the returns value. These usually have the numismatic value and are more expensive than the bars. Over the time these yield more value than any other commodity. The historical coins never go for less if maintained in the perfect condition. Also these can be sold very easily owing to the higher liquidity.
When investors buy physical gold, they are reserving wealth by buying gold coins and bars. Gold coins give the opportunity to preserve the wealth from the economic downturn or inflation. These have the intrinsic value so one can rely on them during the adverse situations also. They wont become valueless under any circumstances. The yellow metal also doesnt rust and one can keep them safely in a secure storage safe.

Financial future security is another key fundamental when buying gold as an investment. Gold has proven to provide one of the best financial security for the future. As one can keep them for a long period of time because the metal doesnt deteriorate with time so it makes the future of the person secure. The financial security also gives the peace and prosperity in life.

Why do you need a market data API in order to display financial data on your website? An API is an Application Programming Interface, an essential part of the interactivity of Web 2.0. A programming interface is like a foreign language translator-It allows one computer operating on one system to talk to another computer operating on another system. Imagine how complex this can be when computer systems are communicating with market data. When you are providing financial information on your website for your visitors, APIs are necessary to display all but static, non-changing information.

Look for a market data solutions provider that can offer several different code-based APIs or SDKs (Software Development Kits) to ensure that you can connect with data feeds and tickers for real-time, delayed, end of day, and historical information. Having access to a .Net, Java, or COM/Win32 API will make this communication more easeful. APIs should have both a server side component as well as a client-side component.

Sample code should be provided with source code available for your tech team.

Consult with your tech team first to determine whether your system would most easily connect to a .NET, Java, or COM/Win32 API. Then find the market data solution firm that can provide the appropriate API for your system. If you need a .NET API to receive market data, make sure it is written in fully manageable C# code and built within a .NET 2.0 framework. If it is a Java API that you need, of course, make sure it is written in pure Java. No external native libraries will be needed. The Legacy COM/WIN32 API should be available from your market data solutions firm if your system requires this type of interface.

If this all sounds like a lot of mumbo jumbo to you, just make sure that the market data solutions company that you select offers complete code samples, documentation, and complete customized tech support, regardless of the market data API available. Broadcast feeds should come in a format that compresses and consolidates direct feeds from any exchange. Check to be certain that they offer financial data feeds in raw or original exchange format, utilizing HTTP transfer in XML, CSV, and FTP. And most importantly, make sure that the data you receive is the most timely, accurate data available. Your data solutions firm must provide reliable figures, with transactions, inserts, and corrections reported as they are reported by the exchanges. Visit BarchartMarketData.com, where you’ll find more information about each marketdata API available and how to get started on posting your own white-label financial data feed on your company’s website.

Colin Snider lives in New Orleans, Louisiana. He is a promoter for local venues, including concert venues and clubs, in the city. Football is his favorite sport and he is a hardcore Saints fan. He also enjoys trading and investing in the stock market and relies of end of day data to make financial decisions

Real estate investment is about finding good deals; the crux is that money is made when you purchase.

Real estate investments are often treated as one the best ways of investing money. However, what you are looking for is not just any real estate investment, but real estate investment that can give you good returns. By real estate investment we mean investing money into property i.e. buying property at a low price and selling it at a higher price so as to make a profit out of it. So the most important part of good real estate investment is to get hold of such properties which can give you good returns.

Now, how can you get these potential profit-making deals?

1. Your first avenue for finding good deals is the local newspaper (the property newspaper). Just search for properties that are listed directly by the owners who want to avoid paying commission to the real estate brokers. Since the owner is saving on the commission that they would otherwise have to pay to the broker, they would probably be able to offer a lower price to you and be more open to negotiations.

2. You could also place your own wanted ad in the local newspapers. On the same lines, you could use internet to search for the real estate investment avenues. In fact, you would be astonished by the number of real estate investment opportunities you are able to locate on the internet. Not only that, searching for real estate investment opportunities (i.e. property for sale) is much easier on internet than anywhere else.

3. Another good way to hunt for real estate investment opportunities is by using the services of real estate brokers. Some people use real estate agents as their first (and maybe the only) touch point for getting real estate investment opportunities. The real estate agents act as information hub for people looking to buy property. In fact, a lot of sellers find it much more convenient to sell their properties by listing it with real estate agents.

4. Multiple listings service (MLS as known in the real estate industry) is another good way to find real estate investment opportunities. Since the multiple listing book is provided only to the real estate agents and not to the general public (unless you are very lucky), all the cream (good real estate investment opportunities) would have already been taken before you get to see the book. The key here is to look for expired listings that didnt get converted to a deal.

5. Another good way to get a property, that is a good real estate investment, is to look for foreclosures by banks or to visit public auctions. You can generally get a good deal here. Divorce settlements are another good real estate investment opportunity.

To sum up, real estate investment is really about knowing where to look. And finding good deals does require some effort.

A whole life insurance investment is a relatively simple concept. You will be presented with a product that has a set premium and you will be paid the agreed upon amount of the death benefit at the end of the policy holders life. You will also have an investment component included in the policy. All money you contribute over and above the premium will be placed into a cash value account which is then invested on your behalf by the insurer.

Apart from providing you with cash value account and a guaranteed death benefit to leave to your heirs a whole life investment has some other features as well. You have the option to borrow against the cash value your policy or fully withdraw an amount if you have an emergency need for the funds available during the life of the policy.

The theory behind a whole life policy is that it will pay out set death benefit and a cash value to your beneficiaries all while you are guaranteed a set, unchanging premium for the life of the policy. It does more than this, though, when you consider the fact that all the money is tax free and/or tax deferred.

Because of this tax free feature you will have the ability to make a portfolio that can achieve a number of goals that you otherwise may not be able to. You can actually use the whole life policy to secure a smooth succession in the case of a family owned business or to protect your other assets.

You may be met with derision about your interest in a whole life insurance investment by detractors who say that it isnt a real investment because it isnt run like ones stocks, bonds, and mutual funds. While it may not grow that fast, it has the potential to a much safer long term investment since it is done in a safer manner that is designed to ensure your money keeps growing despite market ups and downs.

A whole life insurance investment policy is generally seen as a “savings asset” as opposed to an “investment asset” because your money is saved and grown in a much less aggressive fashion than regular stocks and bonds. With a whole life insurance policy your additional money will be placed into a savings account where it will accrue interest. You dont have to invest the money within this savings account, but you can do so if you wish to. The savings account on its own, though, will become a huge asset over time.

After the 2008 world economic crisis, finding the right investment vehicles seems much harder and trickier. Worldwide currency, which everyone believed in, has shown its face value and, overall people have lost their confidence in the popular investment means available on the global market. However, one of the post crisis positive effects is that individuals became more aware and cautious about the significance of managing their resources appropriately and securing their assets.

Although the present day market openings sets forth an apparently endless variety of choices, making the right investment is all about selecting that alternative apposite for your means, objectives and goals on short, medium and long term. Resorting to professionals is one of the best ways to drive your worth to the right target as long as you manage to find some trustworthy, skilled, and dependable experts.

In nowadays context, the hedge fund is fairly set at the higher end of the investment opportunities scale. Working as a private pool of capital, little known to the wide public, such funds rather address the sophisticated investor that can afford hefty net investments in the prospect of likewise gains. Unlike most types of funds, a hedge fund gathers capital from a fairly limited number of individuals and, naturally the investment amounts are significantly greater, being typically believed to range between one million and six million dollars. Nevertheless, there is no investment maximal threshold regulation in place.

The hedge fund is actively run by a manager, who is in charge with all financial strategies and decisions. Once in, the investors can not set a veto on his decisions. Drawing back the capital ahead of a predetermined time span usually calls upon considerable penalties, which remain in the fund and are finally split between the remaining investors. The hedge fund manager takes up an operational commission and a performance brokerage.

In comparison with other type of investments, the hedge fund primarily differs through a wider range of investment strategies it can adopt and a more regulatory-free area of action, including short selling and hilt leveraging. No such fund is risk free, yet primarily depending on the objects of ventures, the manager can draw in high gains with relatively small risks. For instance, precious metal investments have proved to be such nest eggs. Although, one needs to be no expert to know that investing in gold – the ultimate safe heaven of all seasons- is the right investment choice for all kinds of financial portfolios, the profits of a hedge fund may considerably overrun those achievable from independent investments.

A California duo allegedly committed financial elder abuse by swindling an elderly mentally ill woman out of thousands of dollars. The defendants are a couple who reside in Riverside County. They allegedly befriended the elderly mentally ill woman and talked her into giving them money and goods. California elder abuse attorneys remind senior citizens that strangers who suddenly take an interest in your finances are not to be trusted.

The defendants in this case were arrested at their Lake Elsinore home. At the home, Ontario police found large quantities of furniture. The furniture was allegedly purchased with the senior citizens credit cards. Detectives claim that the couple convinced the senior citizen victim to open several credit card accounts, which were used to purchase the furniture. The furniture purchases added up to more than $36,000 dollars. California elder abuse attorneys say that families should keep an eye on senior family members to make sure they are not being conned.

In this case, the defendants allegedly also persuaded the senior citizen victim to withdraw $10,000 from her bank account. The elderly victim gave the money to the defendants and one of them allegedly spent the money at a Los Angeles area casino. The defendants were booked on suspicion of burglary, grand theft, financial elder abuse, and other felonies. Police are concerned that the defendants may have defrauded other elderly victims. California elder abuse attorneys say that financial elder abuse is on the rise nationwide.

Evans Law Firm, Inc. handles elder abuse, financial elder abuse, physical elder abuse, annuity fraud, consumer fraud class actions, insurance and banking fraud cases. If you think that you have witnessed or are the victim of elder abuse, or financial fraud then contact Evans Law Firm, Inc. at 415-441-8669 for a free and confidential consultation, or email us at

So you just got a new Mac huh? And now you’re trying to figure out how to make the transition from life as a Windows user to a new operating system. Finding the right personal finance software can be a challenge. If you were using Quicken on your old Windows computer, you’ve probably heard that there is a version of Quicken just for the Macintosh computer. Unfortunately, many of the features found in Windows Quicken. Also, using an emulator (letting you run Windows applications on a Mac) can get complicated and is prone to its own set of problems. So now what to do?
I suggest looking into Liquid Ledger. This personal finance software solution comes with a robust set of features which can help you track your money down to the last cent. The goal of any good money application is to let you see what you’re spending and what you’re bringing in. Once you determine this, you can make wiser choices about how to budget your money. Here are some features that Liquid Ledger offers:
* The program saves you time and energy by allowing you to automatically schedule regularly occurring payments. The software will alert you when the payment is due, keeping you from having to remember all those bills. You also have the peace of mind that forgetting a payment is a thing of the past.
* Create a budget, then compare how much you planned to spend against how much you actually spent. This lets you see your situation all during the month and find out why the money always seems to disappear.
* Liquid Ledger lets you create powerful reports that let you determine your net worth.
* If you’re a programmer (or even if you’re not), you can use AppleScript to automatically perform repetitive tasks within the program, saving you even more time!
* Travel a lot? Need an application that lets you go back and forth between different currencies? No problem! Liquid Ledger seamlessly transfers funds from one account to another in any number of currencies.
* Liquid Ledger uses bank jargon you’re already familiar with as a customer. This means you won’t be left scratching your head wondering what this or that means.
* You can print your own checks…how cool is that! As long as you have either a laser-jet printer or inkjet printer, you can use the drag-and-drop GUI to create custom templates.
* No need to enter data over again from your old OS-you can import (and export) account information in QIF, CSV, and OFX formats.
Using Liquid Ledger, you can track transactions, keep up with investments, and balance your checkbook, all inside a straightforward user interface that’s a snap to learn. So if you’re making the switch from Windows to Mac, you owe it to yourself to take a look at Liquid Ledger for your personal finance software needs.

A homeowner who is unable to keep up on their monthly mortgage payments can apply for a refinance, but if they are behind on their payments they may be turned down. Loans that carry a low interest rate are appealing to every homeowner, but not everyone who is buying a house can qualify for refinancing. The banks take into consideration the amount of equity in a home as well as calculating the mortgage insurance that is required on a conventional FHA loan. Although interest rates are low there a lot of owners who do not qualify for the refinancing options that can make paying their mortgage easier each month. An option that is open to many homeowners however is a modification to the existing loan. Through a lawyer a Las Vegas loan modification provides an alternative to refinancing that makes it easier to manage the mortgage payments.

An Alternative to Refinancing

A modification that is negotiated through a lawyer allows a homeowner to reduce their interest rate or extend the term of their mortgage contract. The result is a lower monthly house payment that makes it easier to manage all of the household expenses. Owners who have been in the same house for some time, but who have lost their equity due to the housing market collapse may be able to modify their loan by extending the term of the loan back out to 30 years. The balance that remains on the original loan is spread out over a longer term which allows the bank to lower the monthly payment. Interest rates that have dropped substantially over the past five years also allow an owner to adjust their current rate and see the savings that comes from paying less interest on their current loan. Because the banks are only willing to work with attorneys the only way to find debt relief is to contact a lawyer who can negotiate with the bank. Throughout Las Vegas, loan modification lawyers are helping people to manage their money by restructuring their mortgage without refinancing.

At The Schwartz Law Firm, our Las Vegas bankruptcy attorneys handle most types of bankruptcy filings on behalf of clients who are facing excessive debt, foreclosure, garnishment of wages or the failure of a small business. For Las Vegas, loan modification, contact us today! ()

If you often work with individuals who are going through divorce proceedings, then you may want to consider becoming a Certified Financial Divorce Specialist (CFDS). Having this credential shows that you have comprehensive information that will help clients explore their financial options related to a divorce agreement. Training for the CFDS will make you better at helping your clients find a better position of financial stability.

Topics Covered in the CFDS Certification
The CFDS training is designed to improve and increase your knowledge of the complexities of the financial problems that are related to divorce agreements. The more you know about the tax, financial, and legal complexities of divorces cases, the better you can provide support for your clients. Furthermore, the course contains guidance on your role as a professional CFDS.

Here is a brief summary of the topics covered by this training program:
Assessing and identifying assets including family home, property, and pensions to career assets and benefit plans.
Overview of the various legal proceedings, the role of a professional CFDS, and the different methods of settling a divorce case.
Identifying the tax problems from the impact of child support and alimony. Identifying the reporting requirements when selling and dividing the house.
Information about malpractice, ethics, and working with other professionals on the case.
How to present and prepare financial affidavits and other reports.

Training Format of CFDS
The CFDS training program is available online. When you order the certification training course, you can expect to receive everything you will need to complete the entire course from the comforts of your office or home. In addition, the package includes a blinder with around 500 pages of content covering the topics mentioned before and more. This foundational case material also combines questions and case studies to make the learning more realistic.

The Family Law Software program is also included in the package. This program helps calculate the financial impact of various options that are under consideration. For instance, you can use this software to determine what will happen to your client if she assumes credit card debt to keep the house. Part of the initial training package allows you five months of access to this program. After the initial five months are over, there will be a monthly fee that includes ongoing access to technical assistance and software updates.

It usually takes around three months to prepare properly for the online examination. After you have successfully completed the examination, you are required to finish a case study while using the Family Law Software. If you successfully complete this, then you will receive your certification.

Starting Your Certified Financial Divorce Specialist Career
A marketing package will come with your certification. This package will provide guidance on how to promote your skills and knowledge. There is a listing of networking opportunities, template for a press release, and other advice that can help you establish yourself in this market as a CFDS.

The emerging market describes a broad range of markets from second and third world countries. It encompasses economies such as China and Brazil, together with countries in Africa and Asia. Generally, the term emerging markets represents economies which are as yet not fully developed, and subsequently an investment in an emerging market can often be high risk but has the potential to yield great returns as their economies are still developing.

If you are considering investing in emerging markets, these advice tips are worth considering.
Do not put all your eggs in the one basket: No financial portfolio should be tied up with just one investment, and any investment in the emerging market should not comprise a dominant percentage of a portfolio.

Long term view: The emerging market has been likened to investing in America in the 1920s as over forty years an investor would have gained a substantial return on any investment. In that time he would have seen prices drop through the floor. This is similar to emerging market investment today, so be prepared to take a long term view to good returns.

Advice: Obtaining general advice on the emerging market is essential, especially if you are new to financial investment. Financial advisors, banks, and other institutions seem like good places to gain valuable advice on the surface. More often than not however, the investor who seeks guidance from these places often pays for advice they do not need, as many of the best decisions can and should be handled by the investor.

A few financial investment companies have realised this and take a hands off approach and only step in with general advice if needed. These are the companies to turn to when guidance is needed.
Commissions: It goes without saying that any financial investment company is going to charge commissions, and subsequently it makes sense to look for a company that charges low rates. Some offer 0% commission initially, and this is a good place to start.

Risk vs. Return: Any investment into the emerging market is high risk. The returns however, have the potential to be considerable and subsequently an emerging market investment becomes a viable option. It is possible to invest in a country or into a fund which in turn is managed by a fund manager.

The latter becomes a question of faith and trust in that manager to do the right thing with your money, so the decision to choose a financial investment company with a view to fund management should not be taken lightly.

Currently, China and Brazil are often seen as good choices for emerging market investment.

Ultimately it is important to realise that as an investor you need to be in control of the fund, even if it is supervised by a fund manager. Some financial companies give you that control, and it is worth spending sometime to find a financial investment company like this.